Despite an expanded World Cup, Italy's stunning run of failure continued.

The 2026 World Cup is here, with 48 teams participating in the tournament for the first time ever. Here is how they rank

In an exclusive interview, Martina described how an island, roughly the size of Bakersfield, will become the smallest nation to ever play in the FIFA World Cup when it makes its debut against Germany in Houston on Sunday, June 14 at 10 a.m. What happens next? The way Martina sees it, “everything becomes possible.”

World Cup winners, qualifying stars and bargain picks feature in FIFA's selection of nine forwards to consider in World Cup 2026 Fantasy Whether investing heavily in proven superstars or searching for hidden gems capable of delivering a return on a modest budget,

Italy has won the FIFA World Cup four times. But if you've watched the last few editions of the tournament, you wouldn't know that. The Italian side hasn't even been taking part. Italy missed the 2026 World Cup in North America.

FIFA's decision to expand the World Cup field was expected to mean new faces at the tournament, and there are four teams debuting in 2026.

Discover the 48 teams taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada, Mexico, USA™, including host cities, groups and game dates. Learn more with FIFA.

Netherlands enter World Cup 2026 Group F as clear favorites at -118, but Japan arrive on a five-match winning streak and represent genuine value at +260 to claim top spot. Group F is one of the more clearly tiered groups in this tournament,